Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Martin St. Louis (26) gets high fives from the bench after his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 24, 2013, in Tampa, Fla.

Photograph by: AP Photo/Chris O'Meara
, Canada.com

TAMPA, Fla. — It was a regular season first. Of course, with the playoffs around the corner, it could be a sign of things to come.

All year long, regardless of the opponent, the Toronto Maple Leafs have dressed one of either Colton Orr or Frazer McLaren. On most nights, they dressed both as the two fourth-line enforcers helped the team accumulate a league-high 44 fights.

But with a playoff spot already locked up, head coach Randy Carlyle decided to use Wednesday night’s 5-2 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning as a chance to try out a skilled fourth line consisting of centre Joe Colborne and wingers Clarke MacArthur and Matt Frattin.

“We were just trying to rest those two guys and that really was the decision,” Carlyle said of scratching Orr and McLaren. “We wanted to get Frattin back in and MacArthur back going and trying to get Colborne in so we could see what we’ve got in the last couple of games. Those are the decisions you have to make and live with.”

Whether this was the start of a trend or a one-off — Carlyle said it “depends on who we play and what decision presents itself” — is not yet known. On Wednesday, it was just one of many different experiments the Leafs tried, as the head coach tinkered with the lineup as though it was an exhibition game.

At times, they played like it was one, as Tampa Bay broke a 2-2 third-period deadlock with three straight goals. The odd thing is that while Toronto had already clinched a playoff spot, these final three games are meaningful from the standpoint of determining where the Leafs will finish.

The Leafs headed into Wednesday night’s game in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings, but they would be guaranteed home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs if they won these final three. With a little luck, they could end up as the second seed.

That dream is still possible, but they now need to win out and have the second-place Boston Bruins or fourth-place Montreal Canadiens to lose the rest of their games in regulation. Of course, if the Leafs keep playing like they did on Wednesday, falling all the way to eighth is also a possibility.

“I don’t think we were as sharp as we needed to be,” said Carlyle. “Our overall game has to get better than what it was tonight.”

After giving his players two of the last three days off to golf, fish and relax in Florida, Carlyle said he was looking for the team to be recharged and energized when the puck dropped Wednesday. At first, he got the effort he had been hoping for.

Phil Kessel took a pass from Tyler Bozak and beat Tampa Bay’s Ben Bishop with a wrist shot to give the Leafs a 1-0 lead with three minutes remaining in the first period. The Lightning made it 2-1 on goals from Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis, but MacArthur spun-around and found Joffrey Lupul at the side of the net to tie the game.

In the third period, Tampa received goals from Radko Gudas and two from St. Louis.

***

St. Louis, who scored a hat trick to take over the NHL scoring lead with 58 points, could become the oldest person to win the Art Ross Trophy. But the 37-year-old said it would be bittersweet because the Lightning will miss the playoffs for the second straight year.

“You don’t want to be in this position, especially as you get older you want to be … getting ready to play some playoff hockey,” he said. “When you find yourself not in that position, it’s disappointing.”

***

Stamkos blew past defenceman Mark Fraser and scored a breathtaking backhand goal for his 29th of the season in the second period, putting him two back of Alex Ovechkin for the league lead. It was the Lightning forward’s 10th goal in 19 career games against the Leafs, a team that he said he was happy to see back in the playoffs.

“Obviously it’s good for the league, it’s good for the organization,” said the Markham, Ont., native, who also picked up an assist to move one back of St. Louis in the NHL scoring race. “They’ve been starving for a playoff berth for a long time.”

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Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Martin St. Louis (26) gets high fives from the bench after his goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, April 24, 2013, in Tampa, Fla.

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